Sayville, NY - November 7, 2018 - Suffolk County Police Hate Crimes Unit detectives arrested a Sayville man and charged him with six counts of Petit Larceny as A Hate Crime on Tuesday, November 6.

An LGBT flag was stolen from the front of Sayville Congregational United Church of Christ, located at 131 Middle Road in Sayville on July 29, 2018. Additional LGBT flags were reported stolen from the church on September 23, October 7, October 15, October 20 and November 6.

Following an investigation, Hate Crimes detectives arrested Ronald Tyler Witt, 21, at his home in Sayville, at 8:05 p.m.

Witt was held overnight at the Fifth Precinct in Patchogue and is scheduled to be arraigned at First District Court in Central Islip on November 7.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.